Durvillaea potatorum is a large, robust species of southern bull kelp found in Australia.[1]

Durvillaea potatorum
Durvillaea potatorum off Eaglehawk Neck, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Stramenopiles
Phylum: Gyrista
Subphylum: Ochrophytina
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Fucales
Family: Durvillaeaceae
Genus: Durvillaea
Species:
D. potatorum
Binomial name
Durvillaea potatorum

Description

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The species can be confused with Durvillaea amatheiae, which has an overlapping geographic distribution.[1][2] D. potatorum has a shorter, wider stipe with more limited lateral blade development, whereas D. amatheiae has a shorter, narrow stipe and typically prolific lateral blade development.[1][2]

Distribution

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Durvillaea potatorum is endemic to southeast Australia.[1][2]

Uses

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Durvillaea potatorum was used extensively for clothing and tools by Aboriginal Tasmanians, with uses including material for shoes and bags to transport freshwater and food.[3][4] Currently, D. potatorum is collected as beach wrack from King Island, where it is then dried as chips and sent to Scotland for phycocolloid extraction.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Weber, Xénia A.; Edgar, Graham J.; Banks, Sam C.; Waters, Jonathan M.; Fraser, Ceridwen I. (2017). "Morphological and phylogenetic investigation into divergence among sympatric Australian southern bull kelps (Durvillaea potatorum and D. amatheiae sp. nov.)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 107: 630–643. Bibcode:2017MolPE.107..630W. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.027. PMID 28017856.
  2. ^ a b c Fraser, Ceridwen I.; Velásquez, Marcel; Nelson, Wendy A.; Macaya, Erasmo C.A.; Hay, Cameron (2019). "The biogeographic importance of buoyancy in macroalgae: a case study of the southern bull-kelp genus Durvillaea (Phaeophyceae), including descriptions of two new species". Journal of Phycology. 56 (1): 23–36. doi:10.1111/jpy.12939. PMID 31642057.
  3. ^ Thurstan, Ruth H.; Brittain, Zoё; Jones, David S.; Cameron, Elizabeth; Dearnaley, Jennifer; Bellgrove, Alecia (2018). "Aboriginal uses of seaweeds in temperate Australia: an archival assessment". Journal of Applied Phycology. 30: 1821–1832. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2010.06.010.
  4. ^ Murtough, Harry (6 January 2019). "Kelp water carrying sculptures mad by Nannette Shaw win Victorian Aboriginal art award". The Examiner. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ^ Kelp Industries (August 2004). "Proposal for the harvest and export of native flora under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999" (PDF).
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